Root-separator.



E. J. ESTEY & A. W. RHODES.

ROOT SEPARATOR.

APPLIOATION FILED PEBJI, 1911.

1,041,052. Patented Oct. 15, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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ROOT SEPARATOR.

AYPLIOATION IILED rnB.11,1911.

1,041,052. Patented 001.15, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Arllzur M Rhodes Engaging-fix. Satay MJWQM Q). $3M

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

ERNEST JEROME ESTEY, OF KERMAN, AND ARTHUR WOOD RHODES OF FRESNO,CALIFORNIA.

ROOT-SEPARATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 15, 1912.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, ERNEST JEROME Es'rny, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Kerman, in the county of Fresno,

State of California, and ARTHUR Woon RHODES, a. citizen of the UnitedStates, re-

siding at Fresno, in the county of Fresno,

State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Root- Separators; and we do declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others.skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to thecharactersyof reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisapplication.

This invention relates to improvements in farming implements of allkinds, and particularly to root separators, the object of the inventionbeing to produce a machine which will plow up roots, separate the rootsfrom the dirt and discharge the dirt independently of said roots anddump said roots in piles behind the machine on the plowed ground.

The machine is especially adapted for Johnson, Bermuda and salt grassroots.

A further object, of the invention is to produce a sim lo andinexpensive. device' and yet one which will be exceedingly effective forthe purposes for which it is designed. a

These objects we accomplish by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claim.

' In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the several views.

Figure 1 is a top plan view partly broken out showing the completemachine. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the machine.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on thedrawings, we first provide a main frame 1. Mounted on this frame 1 is'asupporting member 2 in I which isfulcrumed a lever 3 carrying a block 4in which is journaled a shaft 5 carrying a drive wheel 6. This drivewheel 6 is adapted to move in the furrow of the plowed ground and isprovided with spikes or toes 7 to keep it from slipping. By means 55 ofthe lever 3 the block 4 may be raised or Application filed February 11,1911. Serial No. 608,165.

lowered to raise or lower the wheel 6 in order to maintain the frame 1in its level positlonat all times, and this lever 3 may be fixhd in anydesired position by fastening 1t to a bar 8 provided with holes.9through which can be inserted bolts 10 to fasten said lever 23 inposition on said bar 8.

()n the other side of the frame 1 is fixed another supporting wheel 11.On the forward end of the frame 1 is a projecting tongue 12 throughwhichis inserted a rod 13 carrying a forward supporting wheel 14, suchmember 13 being provided with a lever 15 adapted to raise and lower therod 13 and wheel 14 as may be desired.

Just to the rear of the wheel 14 and mounted on the frame 1 aresupporting bars 16 carrying a shaft 17 on which are mounted a pluralityof cutters or disks 18 adapted to cut and loosen the grass and rootsprior to the same being taken up by the plow and scraper hereinafterdescribed. The members 16 are hinged to the member 1 as at 19, and areprovided with curved bars 20 projecting through slotted guides 21 andhaving a plurality of holes 22 adapted to receive bolts 23 for thepurpose of adjusting the cutters 18 at any height desired, as willappear.

To the rear of the cutters 18 is a scraper plow 24 adapted to cut theroots loose from the ground at the bottom and let the sod slide up onsaid scraper where it is carried by a conveyer 25 to the supportingcylinder hereinafter described. This conveyer 25 is operated by gearsand chains driven from the wheel 6, as shown'in Fig. 2. To the rear ofsaid conveyer 25 is a supporting cylinder 26 having projecting teeth 26,every other tooth being shaped like a knife blade and all the othersbeing pointed. These teeth 26 work between teeth 27 projecting upwardlyfrom a platform 28 leading from the scraper 24 and the operation of theteeth 26 through the teeth 27 tears the sod to pieces and throws it backupon the draper 29 where it is carried and deposited upon a rapidlyrevolving picker 30 which separates the roots from the dirt and throwsthe roots into the dump box 31, while the dirt is deposited into aninclined trough 32 where it discharges to the side of the machine. Thislast described mechanism is operated by suitable chains and gearing fromthe wheel 11.

The dump box 31 has an operating lever 33 for the purpose of dumping itwhen it'is full.

From the foregoing description it will readily appear that we-haveproduced such a device as substantially fulfils the objects of theinvention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, stillin practice such deviations from suchdetail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit ofthe invention.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and useful anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is A device of the characterdescribed comprising a wheel mounted frame, a plurality of cutting disksdisposed in the forward end of said frame, a scraper plow disposed atthe rear of said disks, a conveyer operating over said scraper plow, aseparating 4 cylinder disposed to the rear of said scraper plow, adraperdisposed to the rear of said separating cylinder, a picker upon whichsaid last named draper discharges, an inclined trough beneath saidpicker, a dump box disposed at the rear of said picker and means fordriving said drapers and said cylinders, as described.

' Fresno Co. Cal. 12-810.

ERNEST JEROME ESTEY. ARTHUR WOOD RHODES. Witnesses:

EDWIN HERBERT SMITH, HOMER CONDON.

